Wrapping machine



May 22, 1951 o. sANDBERG 2,553,871

WRAPPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1947 ful lo az 213 4J 119 May 22, 1951 o. sANDBl-:RG 2,553,871

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il l Ji *I 108 jsjmh'f May 22, 1951 o. sANDBx-:RG 2,553,871

WRAPPING MACHINE Patented May 22, .1951

WRAPPING MACHINE Oscar Sandberg', Toledo, Ohio, `assigner to Lynch Corporation, Anderson, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 5, 1947, Serial No. 784,107

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wrapping machine and particularly to means for properly holding the articles to be wrapped while lifting them upwardly into a wrapper folding head.

It is an object of the yinvention to provide supporting plates iioatably carried by the pocket conveyor side plates and lifted by ram means, so that the supporting plates may be elevated up to a folder head and stopped while the ram continues to lift the article into the folder head.

It is another object of the invention to provide properly timed means which will lift article holding end plates toward a folding head and also to move a ram which lifts the articles into the pockets of the folding head.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for retaining the wrapping material in posif tion with respect to the articles to be wrapped While the ram is lifting the articles into the folding head.

With these and other objects inV view, the in- Vention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a portion of a wrapping machine to which my present invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevation and Vplan view of the mechanism for retaining the wrapping material in position;

Figure 31s a diagrammatic View of themechanism shown in Figure 2, with the ram partially raised;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional View taken on line Ii-5.01? Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, with the ram and the articles to be wrapped partially raised from the conveyor pockets;

Figure 7 is a partial sectional view similar to Figures 4 and 6, showing the ram, the articles to be Wrapped and the floating side plates in their uppermost position; and

Figure 8 is an elevational view of a part of the mechanism for raising the floating side plates.

Referring specifically to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, numerals I0 and I2 indicate supporting frame members for the wrapping machine. At the top of the frame members, a.- table I3'connects the frame members together and provides a main support for parts of the machine.

The particular machine described is similar to the one shown in my copending applications, Serial No. 654,079, filed March 13, 1946, and Serial No. 712,970, filed November 29, 1946. Where practical, the same reference numerals have been applied as in the copending applica'- tions.

Pocket conveyor shafts I4 and I5 are suitably journalled in brackets I 6 and I9 which extend from the frame member I0. The shafts Vcarry sprockets I1 and I8, respectively. A pocket conveyor chain 20 surrounds the sprockets I1 and I8 and also a third sprocket (not shown) at the same elevation as the sprocket I1 and to the right of the drawing in Figure l.

The conveyor chain 23 has spaced channel shaped article receiving pockets 25 mounted thereon. The pockets 25 are adapted to receive a stack of articles 26, such as cookies, crackers, or sandwiches of the type formed of two crackers with cheese or peanut butter between them. Several of the articles are arranged in a hori zontal stack and in face to face relation in each pocket. Side bars 21 are located at each end of the stack to -keep the cookies upright in the pockets until they reach a ram station overa ram head 4U. The forward ends of the bars 21 are secured by rivets 22 to end plates 23.

The pocket conveyor 20-25 is driven by rotating the shaft I4 through a chain drive 28 from an intermittently driven shaft 29. The shaft 29 is driven through a Geneva movementincluding a notched disc 30 and aA crank pin 32 which coacts with the notches. The crank pin 32 extends from a crank arm 33 which is secured to a shaft 34.

The shaft 34 is driven by a chai-n drive j35 'from' a main shaft 35 adjacent the lower part of Figure 1 through bevelled gears 31 and 38. The main shaft 36 is driven in any suitable manner, for example, from an electric motor through reduction gearing, such as shown in my Patent No. 2,283,097, issued May 12, 1942.

Each channel shaped pocket conveyor is provided with a rectangular opening 33 to permit the ram head 4I) to pass up through the pocket, The ram head is on the upper end of a vertical ram post 4I secured to a slide 42 providedwithfour bearings 43. The bearings 43 slide on vertiY cal guide rods 44 which are xedly mounted with respect to the frame 'I0-42443 by having their lower ends supported bythe brackets I9 and their upper ends supported Vby brackets I6.

For vertically reciprocating the slide 42 and the ram post 4|, I provide a link 46 pivoted to the slide and to an arm 49. The arm 49 is secured to a rock shaft 50 journalled in bearings 46 and 41 of the frame members l0 and l2. The rock shaft 50 has also secured thereto an arm 5| which is connected by a link 52 on a crank arm 53 on the main shaft 36. The main shaft 36 is rotated once each cycle of operation of the wrapping machine so that the ram head 40 is elevated and returned downwardly once each cycle and the Geneva movement disc 30 is advanced 1/6 of a revolution each cycle. The advance of the Geneva disc 30 advances the pockets 25 one station each cycle and holds them at their stations, the ram station, of course, being the one in which the openings 39 of a pocket is directly above the ram head 40 so that the ram head may pass through the pocket.

Above the pocket 25, a folder head FH is provided. 'Ihe folder head forms no part of the present invention, but is described in order to provide a complete operative machine. The folder head consists of a pair of stub shafts 55 on which a casting ismounted. The casting includes two end plates 56 and 51 with a connecting post 58 therebetween. At the center of the post 58, two cross passageways 59 are provided at right angles to each other, which result in the post 58 having four connecting portions 54.

Each end plate 56 and 51 has journalled therein a rod B0. It will be noted that four of the rods 60 are provided and that the folder head FH is arranged with four article receiving pockets, each formed by a flat plate 66 and arcuate plates 61 and 68. The plates 61 are fixed relative to the folder head and have eyes 69 loosely journalling the rods 60, so that the rods may rotate therein.

The plates 66 are secured to the post sections nu 54, so that they are fixed with respect to the rotary folder head FH.

The folder head includes compression plates 21| and 212, one for each of the four pockets of the head. Each plate 21| is carried by a rod 213 which is fixed with respect to the folder head by being carried in the end plate 56. Each plate 212 is carried by a rod 214 which is slidable in the end plate 51 and is constrained to move in an inward direction by a spring 215. The inner limit of movement is determined by a stop collar 216 on the outer end of the rod 214 striking the end plate 51. The inner end of the spring 215 bears 'against a collar 211 on rod 214.

The stub shafts 55 are journalled in a bearing 12 on the left side of the machine and in a bearing 13 on the right side. The rotary folder head is periodically rotated 1A of a revolution by means of gears and 16 and a chain drive 11, which passes over an idler 14 from the shaft of the gear 16, to the shaft 29, the ratio being six to four, as the shaft 29 is rotated 1/6 of a revolution each cycle and the folder head is rotated 1/4 of a revolution each cycle.

With further reference to details of the folder head FH, means (not shown) is provided to automatically open the lowermost one of the pockets as the ram head 49 rises. This means consists of leverage mechanism, shown and described in my aforesaid copending applications. After the article and its wrapper have entered the pocket, the plate 68 is spring returned to closed position for retaining the partially wrapped package therein in cooperation with the plates 66 and 61. Y Y

A wrapper for wrapping the package is shown at 91 and is preferably supplied to the machine in roll form, the machine being provided with means to cut the strip from the roll into individual wrappers, as shown, for example, in my Patent No. 2,283,096 of May 12, 1942. The paper supply mechanism forms no part of the present invention, and, accordingly, is not illustrated herein.

The wrapper 91 is fed onto the table |3 in flat form beneath a pair of wrapper control rods 98 and 99. The rods are supported by a pair of supports |60. One of the rods is capable of slight floating movement horizontally, as its F ends are mounted in horizontal slots |02 of the supports |00, and springs |05 normally bias the rod 99 toward the rod 98. The space between the rods is normally slightly less than the diameter of the article to be wrapped. The rods thereby effect close engagement of the wrapper 9'! around the stack of articles.

When the wrapper 91 is in the position shown in Figure 4, it is relatively flat, but as the ram head rises, as shown in Figure 6, there is sometimes a tendency for the wrapper to be displaced in one direction or another and result in an improperly wrapped package. This may be at least partially overcome by the hold-down mechanism shown in my copending application Serial No. 712,970, or may be overcome by using the pocket construction for the folding head shown in my copending application Serial No. 769,618, filed August 20, 1947.

The machine is provided with an arm |51 at the upper portion thereof, which is provided with a curved slot |56, best shown in Figure l, in which a roller |54 is adapted to move. The roller |54 is mounted on a slide |55. The means for reciprocating the slide |55 comprises a pivot |46 on which the roller |54 is mounted and on which a fitting |44 is pivoted. Connected with the fitting |44 is a link |45 terminating at its forward end in a fitting |43 pivoted to a rock arm |41. The rock arm |41 is secured to a rock shaft |48, which is journalled in brackets |42 mounted on stationary rods |49 extending forwardly from the brackets 90.

Also Secured to the rock shaft |48 is an arm connected by a link |5| to a crank arm |53. The crank arm |53 is secured on the shaft 34 to rotate therewith. The crank arm carries a crank pin |52 on which the link |5I is rotatably mounted.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be obvious that rotation of the shaft 34 in a clockwise direction will result in. rotation of the crank pin |52 and thereby the rock shaft |43 is oscillated. Such oscillation is transformed into reciprocation of the slide with the roller |54 reciprocating in a horizontal direction. It will be obvious that any movement to the left in Figure 1 will slightly raise the arm |51, whereas movement to the right will lower the arm |51.

The curvature of the slot |56 is such that considerable movement of the slide |55 and the roller |54 will result in much less oscillation of the bell crank |51-I58 about its pivot |59 than the oscillation of the rock shaft |48. rIhe purpose of this is so that a second slide |43, which is rotatable on horizontal guide bar 81, and is connected with the arm |58 by a link |86, will convey less movement than the slide |55, which carries a package pusher rod |1|, the slide |43 carrying end folder vplates |66. The rod |1,|

rconnected at I II to a vertical rod I|2.

preferably splits into two bars |10, which terminate .in pusher plates |12.

The vparts which are associated with-the ram 49 and adjacent parts of the :machine for the purpose of the present vinvention will now be described. A cam track I 06 is associated with and rotated continuously by the shaft 95. A roller |01 travels in the cam track |06, which roller |01 is secured to a lever |09 connected Vto a pivot shaft |08. A shorter link IIO is connected to the pivotl shaft |08 and is pivotally lThe rod |I2 is connected to one end |,I3 of a shaft .|I4, which is journalled at H5 Vin the frame: member I0. A second crank element ||1 is provided at the ,opposite end of the shaft II4 and is .secured to a `pair of forked verticallyv extending members IIS. 'I'he vertically extending members extend outside of the pockets 25 .and support article end supporting plates I|9 through bracket members |20. Thearticle end supporting plates II9 are bent to an inverted U--shape with the arms of the U on opposite sides of the plates 23, as best shown in Figures 4, 6 and 7. The plates I I9 are, therefore, vertically movable in relation to the fixed plates 23. The plates ||9 are, of course, limited in their movement by the `crank arm II1.

The movement of the crank I I3-I I 4-I I1 is timed withrespect to the ram 40, so that the ram moves upwardly first to start to raise the articles 26 to be wrapped above the level of the table I3, as shown in Figure 6. As the ram 40 moves upwardly, however, the side plates |I9..also start to move upwardly, and when the ram has moved the articles to be wrapped `completely into the pocket of the folding head, the side plates JI-I9 have assumed the position shown in Figure 7. The side plates I I 9, therefore, prevent the articles to be wrapped from becoming disarranged or broken during the raising thereof by theram into the pocket of the folding head. After the articles to be wrapped are in the pocket of the folding head, both the ram and the side plates I|9 are returned to the position shown in Figure 1. whereupon the articles in the next pocket of the conveyor are moved between the plates ||9.

It has been found that in some instances the wrapping material 91 is pulled more on one side of the articles than on the other as the ram 40 raises the articles into the pocket past the rods 98 and 99. I have, therefore, provided the following mechanism to hold the wrapping material in position with respect to the rod 98, since it is essential that sufficient wrapping material be provided at this portion of the article to insure that a fold may be made.

An ear 209 is provided below the table I3 to the left of the ram 40, as shown in Figures l, 2 and 3. A lever 20| is pivoted centrally thereof at 202 on the ear 200. The lever 20| is pivotally connected to a second lever 204, which is in turn pivotally connected to a lever 206, which is pivoted at its center, as shown at 201, on a bracketv 208. The levers 20| and 204 are provided with a pivot 203 and the levers 204 and 206 are provided with a roller 209 which rides on a second roller 2 I0, which is rotated continuously by shaft 34. A cam surface 2I| is provided on roller 2|0 to intermittently raise the lever arm 206, whereby the right hand end of the lever arm 20| will be moved upwardly. A spring 212 is provided for maintaining the roller 209 in'contact'with the roller 2|0, thereby retaining the right hand 6v 'end of the lever 20| normally in its lowermost position.

An L-shaped rod 213l is connected to the right hand end of lever 20| and extends upwardly through an opening 2I4 in the table I3. As the ram 4I starts upwardly, the cam surface 2|I is so positioned and timed that the rod 2| 3 will move upwardly and engage the wrapping material 91 `between 'the end of the rod 2I3 and the wrapper control rod 98. This engagement continues until the ram and the articles reach approximately the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the rod 2|3 is lowered. The mechranism, therefore, insures that the wrapping material will not slip past the control rod 98 during a major portion of the travel of the articles into the pockets of the folding head. I

Operation In the operation of the wrapping machine, when the articles 25 reach the ram station, the ramhead 40 will engage the articles and lift them, and at the same time, the end plates I I9 will be raised to retain the articles in proper relationship to enter the folding head. The control rods 98 and 99, and the mechanism which operates the rod 2|3, will insure that the wrapper is properly positioned and securely drawn against the articles to be wrapped while the ram head 40 and the side plates I I9 are being elevated.

At the same time that the articles are being lifted into the folder head, the package pusher rod I1I is .travelling to the left for expelling a previously partially wrapped package from that pocket of the folder head which is adjacent the folding means |96. At the same time, the pusher plates |12 are pushing a partially Wrapped article out of the folder head, the pocket plate 68 will be opened by suitable leverage means (not shown) to release the article. Ram 4| and the side plates |I9 are then moved downwardly, the pusher rod |1| is Withdrawn and the folding head is turned another quarter of a revolution so that another pocket is available for receiving another set of the articles to be wrapped.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have provided an effective machine for controlling a stack of articles and a wrapper therefor from the time the article is lifted out of the pocket conveyor until it is Ypartially wrapped in a folder head. The parts are so designed and timed in their operating relation t0 each other that the wrapper is folded in the most eicient manner over the ends of the stack of articles. The folding operations may be completed in any manner well known in the art.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

' I claim as my invention:

l. A wrapping machine comprising a feed conveyor for. articles to be wrapped, which articles comprise a plurality of individual pieces disposed in face to face relationship, elevator means for raising the article from the feed conveyor, means for raising and lowering the elevator means, a table above the elevator means having an opening therein through which the elevator means is adapted to pass, said table being adapted to receive a wrapper of sheet material above the opening, a folder head above said table adapted to receive said article when it is raised by said ele# vator means, means for retaining the articles in face to face relationship while they are being raised into said folder head, means on two sides of said opening adapted to frictionally engage said wrapper sheet as the article is raised into the folder head and means for engaging one edge of the wrapper sheet between itself and one of said frictional engaging means to positively prevent movement of the wrapper sheet longitudinally at one edge thereof during said raising.

2. A wrapping machine comprising a feed conveyor for articles to be wrapped, which articles comprise a plurality of individual pieces disposed in face to face relationship, elevator means for rasing the article from the feed conveyor, means for raising and lowering the elevator means, a table above the elevator means having an opening therein through which the elevator means is adapted to pass, said table being adapted to receive a wrapper of sheet material above the opening, a folder head above said table adapted to receive said article when it is raised by said elevator means, means for retaining the articles in face to face relationship while they are being raised into said folder head, means on two sides of said opening adapted to frictionally engage said wrapper sheet as the article is raised into the folder head and means for engaging one 3. A wrapping machine comprising a feed conveyor for articles to be wrapped, which articles comprise a plurality of individual pieces disposed in face to face relationship, elevator means for 'raising the article from the feed conveyor, means for raising and lowering the elevator means, a table above the elevator means having an opening therein through which the elevator means is adapted to pass, said table being adapted to receive a wrapper of sheet material above the opening, a folder head above said table adapted to receive said article when it is raised by said elevator means, means for retaining the articles in face to face relationship while they are being raised into said folder head, means on two sides of said opening adapted to frictionally engage said Wrapper sheet as the article is raised into the folder head and means for engaging one edge of the wrapper sheet between itself and one of said frictional engaging means to positively prevent movement of the wrapper sheet longitudinally at one edge thereof during said raising, said last means comprising a cam, an engaging member, and a linkage between the cam and engaging member for moving the engaging member into contact with one edge of the wrapper sheet, said engaging member extending through said table and being raised above the level of the table by said cam and linkage.

OSCAR SANDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Neumair Apr. 20, 1937 Number 

